Thursday, 23 October 2014

MDF Man Clock Project

This weekend the clocks go back so now seems a good time to share a not so little clock project I have been working on.

Back in February I attended the Make It exhibition in Farnborough with some of my family who also like to craft. My sister Laura and I both fell in love with the large fob watch clocks on sale at the The MDF Man's stand ( we also bought a shed load of other stuff as it was all amazing!). We had a joke about how different our styles are and we were both curious to see how differently they turned out so agreed to reveal them at the same time.

Well, February was a long time ago and I confess it sat in the cupboard like something scary waiting to jump out at me one day for a very long time as I really didn't have a clue how to tackle it! But last weekend I felt brave so dusted it off, dug out the paint, stamps, texture paste and gilding wax and set to work and this is the finished result.

I wanted to create something to fit into my very traditional, newly decorated lounge so used warm browns with a touch of burgundy mixed in for the base, and painted the numerals in gold. I stamped a script around the edge using gold acrylic paint, and added some texture using a mask and texture paste. For the cog centre piece I decided to do something a little different and use Kroma Crackle over the top to give it an aged look. I had no idea if it would work or not, as it's a medium I haven't really played with properly. It frustrated the life out of me waiting for it to dry ( 3 days!!) but eventually it did and I think it was worth the wait!

Behind the cog piece I used a paper from my stash, distressed with Rusty Hinge distress ink, and applied gilding flakes to some blank cut cogs I had left over from another project. I also added a couple of metal hands to some of the watches on the paper.

I went over the entire thing with a combination of bronze and gold gilding wax to highlight areas and finish it off.

Yesterday Laura shared hers with me too and I have to say, our styles arent as different as I thought they would be! Hers is less splodgy, more delicate, and much tidier ( a bit like the comparison of our houses too if I am honest!) but we have used some of the same elements and techniques and I absolutely love it!

I can't wait to get cracking on some of my other MDF Man projects now. If they are half as much fun as this I shall be very happy playing indeed!